Diary of a Lone Avali
by GilliTheFox
Summary: Being a part of pack is what Avali society is based on, and Nezun is no exception to this. Being separated from her pack, can Nezun survive long enough to find her pack members? Or will she succumb to the anxiety of being away from her pack?
1. Introduction

**Diary of a Lone Avali**

This story is based on my experiences as playing the race mod Avali; with a few tweaks for writing reasons!

"What is an Avali?" you might be wondering. Well, to put it as the creator of the race put it: They are nomadic-fluffy-space-raptors.

If you want to know more about the Avali, you can check out the wiki page here:  
wiki/The_Official_Avali_Wiki

Or you want to try the mod yourself; which is up-to-date with the current Starbound build:  
resources/avali-triage.2852/

A bit about my character:  
Name: Nezun Skyfire  
Age: 23  
Sex: Female  
Pack Size: 4 Members  
Colour Pattern: Sky-blue plumes with no trimming with a white underbelly plume  
Favorite food: Alien Bacon and Sweet Ribs  
Personality: Free-thinker, bubbled headed at times, meat addict

Short Bio:  
Being a part of pack is what Avali society is based on, and Nezun is no exception. With her fellow nestlings: Cora Break, Dom Heater, and Char Peck, Nezun and her pack were exceptional at taking down larger and stronger prey then most Avali packs at their age as juveniles, but sometimes had trouble coordinating against other well-formed groups; which was very strange for most Avali. As such was the case in which lead to the pack being separated by Human Space-Pirates and were the diary/story takes off.

Day 1:

Location: Currently in orbit of an unknown planet  
Ship Time: 02:21  
Log Entry #1: Nezun Skyfire 

I've been stranded and separated from my pack. I have been set to drift over this planet by a raiding group of pale, monkey-like creatures. They possessed a high-intelligence level and the knowledge of how the Avali hunt. They somehow broke my pack's communication with a strange device that disrupted our hearing by emitting a low frequency noise and separated us one by one before finally taking me captive.

After a grueling struggle, I broke free from my bonds; although I injured my wrists in the process.

Once I worked my way to the cockpit through the darkness, I fired up the backup power. The blasted lights were way too bright so I had to turn them down. Curse these sensitive eyes, it's really hard to adjust to rapid change is light. Once the power was up and running, I had a conversation with the ships A.I. Its name was S.A.I.L., and had been offline for a really long time. After a few moments of checking the system for errors, S.A.I.L. opened the shutters to reveal that we were hovering over a frozen planet. A stroke of luck!

I took a comms headset and explored the rest of the ship. I found an old first-aid kit and patched myself the best I could; you really take for granted all your healing tech until you don't have access to it anymore. My injuries are minor with all things considered and shouldn't take long to heal up.

The ship was-to my surprise-rather small. Only a few rooms that branch off from the main hall, and the cargo hold. The side rooms were comprised of a small mess hall and kitchen, two bedrooms, and a small spare room that looked to be extra storage. The hold is where I found myself when I regained consciousness. I returned to the cockpit when I familiarized myself with the ships layout.

Any attempt to send out a distress signal has been met with silence. I searched S.A.I.L.'s database for any information that could tell about my location. Just my luck, the system was wiped clean and the internal clocks were set to zero from the prolonged power-outage. It seems the ship was towed to this location in conclusion. The exterior of the ship was in decent shape, maybe enough to land the ship on the nearby planet, but could use repairs. The interior on the other hand... I could rip off all the paneling and make it look better. I'll add fixing up the interior to my bucket list.

Just as I asked S.A.I.L. to fly to the planet's surface, he informed me that the ship had built in teleportation beams that could send me to the planet's surface and recall me as long as I keep my comms link. Excellent! I can make use of this. I no longer need to worry about being raided by natives of the planet; if there are any.

I went to the mess hall and found some stored food that seems to have been forgotten about for quite a while; dry, tasteless foods. I noted that I'll need to hunt soon as there isn't much food here... and I miss meat already. I want my sweet-ribs! Calm down Nezun, it's only been a short while since we last ate meat, we can last a little bit longer.

Speaking of missing; I miss Cora, Dom, and Char. I think I'll get some rest after this log entry and make another attempt in communications when I awake.

*End of log*


	2. Touch Down

Location: Still in orbit of an unknown planet  
Ship Time: 08:29  
Log Entry #2: Nezun Skyfire 

Rest was well and uninterrupted. My wounds seemed to be fully healed so I no longer needed the bandages; yay for nano-tech! I beamed down to the planet's surface setting for the northern hemisphere in a forested region; S.A.I.L had picked up some strange signals there. It's there were I decided to start an exploration to find more info.

"Some nice, fresh air at last! A cool minus 50 degrees. Refreshing!" I thought to myself. With nothing but bare-feathers and a plank of wood I began exploring my immediate landing area. The landing area was in a fairly large clearing within a rather dense forest. I set up a mound and marked it by usual means. I'll use that area as my Point of Return location and soon make it my hunting grounds if nothing goes wrong. It felt odd doing this without the others. 

I scrounged up vines and roots from a nearby cave in which I used to make some traps for smaller game if anywhere to be found. Another stroke of luck, I found multiple trails of small creatures, it looked to be the equivalent to earthen hare; slightly bigger stature as the prints were well ground into the snow. I tailed the trail to some low-laying branches and set up my trap; I placed out several traps along other trails in the area. Hopefully when I return I'll have some actual food. Mmmm...meat.

Using the rest of the vines, I fashioned a stone about the size of a fist at the end of my plank and made myself a primitive mace. It'll do for now. I decided to explore beyond the landing zone; "Remember to mark a trail Nezun!" I reminded myself.

Yay! Something had been caught in my trap when I returned from my uneventful exploration! It was still alive when I found it, but not for long! My mouth watered as I proceeded to end the creature's life. It was-to my surprise-rather fat. Much more plump than a normal hare, but a lot of similar key features. What stood out most was the horn on its head. It was about 4 inches in length. I found that it was rather dense; I tapped it with a fairly good amount of force against a rock to test its frailty. The point was very sharp, I pricked my finger with it and drew a fair bit of blood. I could use this as a shiv if needed be. I then used some vines as a rope to fashion a belt around my hip.

I proceeded to set-up a camp fire and roasted the horned-hare. It was so delicious, I even cried a little as I bit into it for the first time. Meat truly is the best thing to eat.

After eating I put out the fire; if it wasn't for the wind and snow, I think I might have died from the heat. Life sucks as an ammonia-based life-form when the best meats are roasted. The risk is worth the taste though.

I heard something moving around the forest shortly after putting out the flames, I attracted some bigger game. "Mmm... more meat." I stopped recording for a while in an attempt to figure out what I attracted.

"Okay... that hurt." I spoke out loud to myself post-fight. I guess I wasn't fully healed. I twisted my ankle and nearly fell which almost cost me my life. The creature in question was HUGE! It was at least twice the size of a fully grown mountain bear and then some. Its fur was a cream white for the majority of its body, the upper half being a shade of black. It had what seemed to be arms protruding from its head. I've never seen anything like it before.

The creature put up a large struggle. Taking down trees with a single strike as I attempted to gain some cover and higher ground. I was faster than it, and thanks to my much smaller frame, I could dodge its attacks when my footing was good. Weaving between attacks, I made strikes the best I could, stabbing and bashing at the creature where the opportunity arose. I had used the fallen trees as my footing as to give myself another advantage. It's when I went to make the killing blow that the creature threw what seemed like a tantrum and caught me off guard. Determined to end it then, I made the mistake and jumped on the ground. There, I twisted my ankle in the loose snow. The creature moved in and tried to shallow me whole. In that moment, I ignored my ankle and planted my feet into the snow, leaped up into the creature's gaping maw and shoved the horn up through the creature's skull.

It was an exhilarating experience to hunt larger prey without a pack backing you. It kind of scared me actually. I almost died; but it was fun. The thought of fighting a much larger, stronger creature with my life hanging in the balance, it was a rush I could never feel with the of a pack. That's what scared me. Avali are social creatures, and suffer greatly from being away from a pack for prolonged time frames... but I wasn't anxious. I put the thought out of my head, I didn't need to over-think such a thing.

I proceeded to clean my game and keep as much of the material from the creature as I can. I hung the meat to bleed and stretch, cleaned the pelt and hung it to freeze dry. With some more vines I scrounged up, I fashioned its teeth into a necklace as a trophy. I'll have to store the meat in the ship's cargo hold and turn the air coolers on to keep it fresh... bloody hells, I could have done that last night and slept more soundly with the temperatures down.

With my victory and some meat secured, I decided to call it a day and beamed back to the ship with meat in tow. After several more attempts in communications, I went to bed... with the temperature turned down. Yay coldness!

*end log*


	3. Encounters

Location: Unknown Planet's Surface  
Ship Time: 09:45  
Log Entry #3: Nezun Skyfire 

I found a backpack, a flash light, and an old matter-manipulator in a crate in the cargo hold. The manipulator is almost completely busted, but it can still perform the basics: dig up and move dirt, mine and filter common metals from standard dirt and rock, and even knock over some trees if need be. Though the process would be rather slow compared to more up-to-date manipulators.

Back down to the planet's surface I went. With some supplies, a bit of vine rope, the first-aid kit, and my mace and shiv, I embarked further into the forest after I checked my traps, only to find them empty. I pulled up the traps.

Off in the distance I could hear howling, five targets to be exact. Gotta love that super-hearing! I set-off towards the howling in search for more game and materials. 

After several hours of hiking in the direction of the noise, I came across a rather steep cliff that dropped at least 50 feet. As I pondered a way to traverse the cliff, scuffling in the snow caught my attention. It seems that I found my meat... err, prey. I'll continue recording after the kill. 

Boy, that was really fun! My mace got ripped from my hands after I struck down my first walking meal, but the shiv saved my feathery hide. I killed the rest rather swiftly after some light resistance. I suffered minor scratches and nicks, these guys were really well coordinated. Reminds me of my pack... I'm really starting to miss them. I swear I heard Char's voice in my sleep yakking on about how I should eat more than just meat. Back to my quarry! They were really interesting, they attacked systematically and precisely, I can guess these pups have been around for a while. Oops, I should describe them as well! They looked like a pack of wolves in the dark at first, but upon a closer look under the moonlight, they seemed more like feral beastmen. I hope this isn't the case, I didn't get my rabies shot! Their fur coats were a dark grey with patches of white making great camouflage in these types of conditions. 

Not thinking more on it, I cleaned the beasts. I cooked up the meat, placing some of the meat inside the pelts, placed the teeth and claws inside a side-pouch of the backpack, and had lunch with the remaining meat. It was really delicious, but could have used some spices. 

After walking a fair distance in both directions of the fight scene, I concluded the best way down is to jump. Just to be on the safe side, I climbed up a few trees and tested out a few jumps in an attempt to find the best way to glide with this planets gravity. I was all but certain that I could make the jump safely. I tossed a few stones over the edge in a clearing to plan my brace-timing and a safe-zone where it was least likely that I'd impale myself on something hidden under the snow. After I had figured out the timing and a somewhat reasonable safe spot, I tossed my backpack over the edge. After it disappeared under the white fluffy-ness, I jumped. 

The landing was a success! Avali can't fly, but we can glide fairly well with the right conditions and the right amount of gravity. But enough about that. I know someone reading this log will be wondering "Why the hell did they jump down the cliff?", and to answer that is I didn't mention that there was a small amount of smoke rising through the canopy of trees. 

I headed towards the location of the smoke. It was an uneventful walk, although the sound of howls echoed around the forest off and on. I had enough meat to last me for a few days now. 

Staying hidden within the forest, I peered at the smoke's source from multiple angles. The smoke was from a what appeared to be an age-old forge. A small wooden building was located a few yards away from the forge, and further behind the building was what appeared to a mine-shaft with a small rope-n-pulley rigged up. 

Click. A spotlight shined brightly into my face at a distance. I was blinded and reflexively hissed and cursed like a space-pirate. A mechanical computerized voice echoed out from near the building. 

"Hold there, knave! Thou shant move lest thee be stricken down!" 

*end of log*


	4. Busted

Location: Glitch Building: Underground Holding Cell - Unknown Planet's Surface  
Ship Time: 00:04  
Entry #4: Nezun Skyfire

Okay... sooooo I seemed to have stumbled upon an illegal mining operation. I'm currently locked inside a cell, there's a fairly large holding area underneath the building. I managed to hide my comms inside my feathers as the Glitch chased me back to the cliff. Their aim was really bad; unlike Novakids, and I managed to get away unscathed from the bullets. That didn't keep them from knocking me out once they got close. I guess surrendering was a bad idea after all. My head still hurts. 

It seems the Glitch here are using slave labour to mine Solarium. I overheard this information from a couple of the guards. Their slave-force is comprised of these plant people that go by the name of Floran, and some of the pale monkeys; like the Space-Pirates that separated my pack. I think the Glitch called them... Humans? The universe is filled with lots weird creatures. I can see how these Floran can stay alive through photosynthesis if they're anything like normal plants, but these humans look rather meek. I wonder if they like meat? 

Several hours have passed by fairly uneventfully. Slaves have been marched back and The Warden of the cells came by to check up on me, passed me some water and some strange white bar. It was about the size of a small ingot and weighed about the same as a steak. It had an odd, sweet smell to it. 

"'Forceful. Clean thy self, thou cast a foul odor in the keep." 

Demanded the Warden. I didn't think I smelled bad? It must be just these silly creatures. I smell just fine. Hmph! I guess I'll comply and bide my time and figure out a way to bust out of here. Sitting here alone is rather dull, and with nothing to do besides making this log is really getting to me. Being caged was never my kind of thing. Your mind tends to wander about thoughts you'd never normally have. I really do miss my pack. I need to come up with a plan asap before I'm tossed into slavery as well. Solarium is nasty stuff to deal with; too much radiation. I think I'll stop recording for a while and record again if something new develops. 

*end log*


	5. Jail House Rock

Location: Glitch House - Unknown Planet Surface  
Ship Time: 1:50  
Entry #5 - Nezun Skyfire 

Jail break! After several long weeks of slavery, I managed to escape from my prison and overthrew the Glitch with my fellow captives. Well, all except for one. 

It's hard to say when it was exactly; I hadn't seen the surface in weeks, but at one point during a routine check-up, one of the Humans over-heard me when I recorded my last log entry, and reported it to the Warden. The Warden and several guards assaulted me before doing a full body search. They took the comms and my trophy necklace. When I found out exactly who it was; I had to pull some... unsavory favours with some of the other prisoners. "Tom" had a little accident and one of the tunnels he was working had collapsed on him. This sparked a large investigation from the Glitch. We were held in our cells for a while as the Glitch searched for the cause. They came up empty handed as the other prisoners kept their silence. 

I held back REALLY hard not to judge the Humans, as they were not the ones who put me in this situation, but I'm still very wary of them. Some of them took notice and attempted; and succeeded, in convincing me that not all Humans were alike. Like most space-faring species, it always comes with a few specs of plague. 

Back to the jail break. I had rallied several Floran and Humans to my cause in an attempt to escape. We agreed that it would occur during inspection rounds of our haul and of the cells. This was when the guards were most diverse. And thankfully for us, outside of being great at hiding and getting away with this operation, the Glitch were not too keen on keeping the keys on one person. Several of the prisoners and myself managed to disable some of the guards and then began to free other prisoners. We took their weapons and faced our captors in mortal combat. It was another exhilarating experience that I had never had before; the feeling of battle with strangers... not strangers... brothers and sisters in arms, fighting for a common cause: freedom. 

After slaying all of the Glitch, the remaining survivors of the jail break held a funeral for those who had died in their own traditions. I bowed my head and offered my condolences. We had placed the Glitch scraps in the backyard until we figure out what to do with them 

A day had passed and they all agreed that it would be best for me to lead the rest of the slaves. I was very hesitant at first; it's a huge responsibility to take on. Eventually I caved in and we began preparations to make better ourselves. 

I had beamed back to the ship and flown it down to the surface. With the help of S.A.I.L., I managed to find the Glitch house in no time. I braced myself for what was to come... I had to share my meat. As I made my parting tears of my stock, I handed out portions to everyone. After counting, there really wasn't that many of us left; 26 in total. It makes one wonder how you can turn the tides of a fight when you're backed into a corner and you have nothing else to lose. 

In the morning, I am to teach a small group to hunt efficently; two Floran and a Human: Mira, Dar'keth, and Sarah, are their names. Talking to other species is really fun, but sooo much time is wasted waiting for one or the other to finish. We Avali can listen and talk at the same time, making us able to communicate and solve issues in a matter of moments. It's a sight to behold for an outsider. 

But enough about that. After locating my trophy and putting it back where it belongs, I'm going to call it a well-earned rest. 

*end of log*


	6. Sweet Sounds

Location: Glitch Building Temp. Base - Nearby Forest: Unknown Planet Surface  
Ship Time: 05:58  
Entry #6: Nezun Skyfire 

It's an early rise today. Recalling yesterday's events, I decided to go for a walk through the nearby forest; not too far from camp. As I paced my way around the trees, a pleasant tone echoed in my ears. Something I haven't heard in ages. Music. I pause and close my eyes and listen for a few moments. It was a raspy voice, but the tune was well carried and enrapturing. After a deep inhale, I walked towards the noise. I came to a clearing with a lone tree, and there under the moonlight, sat a Floran up on a branch. It was Mira. She was singing an unfamiliar song; but what caught me by most surprise was that unlike the others; outside of a completely different name-style, she didn't hiss with her "S's." 

I approached more openly and seemed to have startled her from my sudden presence. Although I couldn't get a good look at her face which was shadowed by the moonlight, I could tell that she was flustered. She began talking like the other Floran with the hiss in an attempt to hide being different. I explained to her that I heard her singing and thought to investigate it. After a few moments of silence, she began talking without the hiss, and had explained that she didn't grow up with other Florans, so had not picked up on the habit until later in her years. It turns out, she had been harassed due to her not-so-violent nature, and the lacking of the hiss made it more pronounced, along with not being a "great hunter" like her kin. 

A few more moments of silence. Mira approached me rather suddenly, clasping my hands and pleaded for me not to let the other know of her. I promised her on one condition: that she would continue to sing for me in the mornings until it was time to wake the others. She was hesitant for a few moments, before nodding in agreement. 

Mira took in a few more moments of silence before she began to sing again. I sat down and leaned against the tree, closing my eyes and letting my mind go blank as I listened to that lovely voice. Perhaps being separated wasn't the worst thing to happen to me I thought. 

"We should go back to the camp soon," I told Mira as she finished several songs. The twilight of dawn was nearly upon us and we needed to get a good start on the hunt training. I'll make another log later this evening to report how everything goes. 

*end log*


	7. If At First You Don't Succeed

Location: Temp. Base - Front Yard: Unknown Planet Surface  
Ship Time: 13:00  
Log Entry #7: Nezun Skyfire 

Training went rather well so far this morning, we had done several mock-fights, the three of them versus myself. My three trainees seem to have a grasp of the concept in teamwork, but still have room for improvement. The theory part went beyond expectations, but the practical part is where the inexperience began to show. Dar'keth was the most experienced out of the three, who also showed great potential for leadership if not for his berserker fighting-style, then Sarah. 

Sarah held a really level head in the skirmishes, but didn't seem to be able to keep up with Dar'keth's pace. She was much more precise, but lacked any lethality. 

And finally Mira, who really lagged behind and showed little potential as opposed to the others. She could keep up with Dar'keth's pace in bursts before falling behind Sarah. I think melee combat is not her forte like the other two. Maybe ranged or maybe something else... but I have to admire her willingness to try. She's really determined to learn. 

After I had one-on-one bouts with each of them to test their individual skills, I concluded the morning training with a small break and a hunt for dinner's food. We managed to pick up a few more horned-hares in our slips, and chased and killed a few more. It seems this had better results than the earlier training as the act and sight of progress boosted morale and increased comradery with the group. With our catch and the three heads held high, we headed back to camp and began fixing lunch for everyone. 

When we returned, several of the captives had sealed off the entrance of the mine, made graves for the dead, and had cleared away the front yard of debris and anything that could be dangerous if hidden by the snow. Now that the yard is a little less cluttered, the house is rather quaint. It's a bit small for all of us, so some of the other have begun to turn the underground cells into a more comfortable living space. We'll need to go to another planet to pick up more linens and more comfortable beds. I hate to say it, but the solarium we mined will help fuel my ship nearly 10 times over the standard ship fuel, but I don't know how much that will strain the systems. Even using plutonium is rather harsh on the engine, 

With the help of a few captives, I prepared dinner; roasted hare, potatoes, and carrots. I didn't eat many of the veggies, but boy did I love the hare. I'm drooling a little just thinking about it again. The Glitch had a greenhouse set-up inside the underground cell area in one of the branching rooms and inside was a fairly decent sized garden: fruits, vegetables, and some other plant life that seemed mechanical. Maybe a food source for the Glitch? Do they even need to eat? 

After lunch, we will begin to train again, then maybe hunt some more horned-hare. Once they get some more experience working together, we'll start looking for some bigger meatba- prey. 

*end log*


	8. The Results

Location: Temp. Base – Master Bedroom: Unknown Planet Surface  
Ship Time: 20:13  
Log Entry #8: Nezun Skyfire 

Today was a long one. The weather turned sour by late afternoon and we had to call off the hunt. The training, however, had more positive results across the board for the most part. 

Dar'keth lead the other two quite well enough that I no longer needed to help him, he's certainly got a sharp tongue on him though. Calling everyone out on their mistakes is all fine and dandy, but her certainly berated Mira's efforts a bit too much. I had to step in and calm him before things went too far. Dar'keth didn't seem to like that I had stood up for Mira. 

Sarah on the other hand, took what Dar'keth and myself said to heart and started applying what she learned from the morning exercises. She's extremely adaptable, almost to the point that it's scary. If it wasn't for her lack of stamina, could overtake Dar'keth easily with her pin-point precision. 

And finally Mira. I decided to give Mira a different training routine, I had her train with a bow; I suggested a gun, but she didn't seem to like the idea. Mira used the bow almost as it were natural to her. She was really excited to find something she was good with, but tried to hide it around the others in fear of scorn. "I hope that she can overcome that fear," I thought to myself. 

I had made a schedule that would combine training and hunting. Hopefully we'll bag some more meat tomorrow. 

Mira came to see me in my room earlier. We had an exchange of words and ideas for the training. She gave a few really good ideas that could help them out. I agreed to give it some thought. 

I consoled her about her doubts in training and assured her that things were going very well for just the first day. She then hugged me. It caught me off guard, but I returned the hug back; being shorter than her, it felt a little awkward at first. It was a really odd sensation that I felt when we hugged. I pushed the thought out of mind. "Maybe I'll get to hear her sing again tomorrow morning," I thought. 

I thought I saw Dar'keth hanging around the corridor where my room is when I sent Mira on her way, but didn't think much on it. I swear he reminds me a bit too much like Dom: headstrong, and a tad bit creepy. I hope this doesn't affect the group. 

With these last few notes that I jotted down, I decided to call it a night. 

*end log*


	9. More Than A Feeling

Location: Temp. Base – Master Bedroom: Unknown Planet Surface  
Ship Time: 19:20  
Log Entry #9: Nezun Skyfire

Several days had passed since my last log entry. I didn't have anything noteworthy to record up until today.

The training had been going well without too much trouble. Dar'keth had been holding the group together, even to the point that he'd been taking the group into training and hunting without me. I've begun to think he's trying to muscle me out of the group, or at least take over the leader's role.

"If this had been me in my juvy years, I would have his neck wrung up by now." I told myself. But I was above that, for the time being. I tried to calm myself down by the time the evening had rolled around, Mira had said she would come by to ask me something important. She seemed rather nervous when she asked. I had hoped nothing bad happened to her. "But why?" I asked myself, perhaps these feelings for her are more than I had thought.

Nine o'clock had rolled by. Ten o'clock. I begun to think she wouldn't show up. Just as I got ready for bed, a knock on the door. It was Mira. I ushered her inside.

There isn't much to be seen in my room. An aged desk for which I write notes and various doodles when I'm bored. The other refugees had insisted that I have a 'queen' size bed as I've taken up the mantle of leader, so I needed to feel like one. Something about being the reason they're alive. All I had done was rallied them to fight back, I didn't think too much of it. "It's too big for me. I'm tiny compared to all of you," I told the others as they brought in the bed and furnished it with furs from various hunts.

The walls where adorned with various rifles and trophies from hunts that we had made plus what was present when we had taken over. A single shelf with several books I had not bothered to read. The floor had been covered with a large brown pelt.

Several small candles that had been burning on the desk was the only source of light when Mira knocked. We sat at the edge of my bed and talked for a while. Mira gushed to me about several things, most noteworthy being about her past.

She told me that she had no recollection of her past. Mira had awakened inside a facility on a nearby planet. She went on the explain all of the event leading up to being captured by the Glitch and the months of slavery up to when I arrived on the planet. "Life sure is strange." I told her.

A moment of silence passed. Mira had fidgeted a few times before she mumbled something, I could barely pick out what she said. What she said made me blush rather brightly. She wrapped her arms around me, and said it again. My heart begun to race, I couldn't bring the words out of my mouth. They were, but failed to come out. I leaned up to her, _god it I hate being short in a moment like this_ , I thought. Our lips met momentarily, then several times. Minutes seem to fade away as the night went on. I… I can't really explain what happened after. But with that event, I knew that our feelings for each other were real.

*End log*


	10. Hi Everyone!

Location: Temp. Base – Master Bedroom: Unknown Planet Surface  
Ship Time: 05:18 – Currently Recording  
Log Entry #10: Nezun Skyfire

It's an early rise again for me. I'm still rather tired, but my mind is wide awake and I think I won't be able to sleep fall asleep. I think my face is still blushing. I've got this weird, fuzzy feeling in my stomach; they call this getting "butterflies" I think?

I roll over slowly as not to wake Mira and slip outside of the room. My legs are still a bit wobbly; "to think legs could bend like that," I ponder to myself. I really do need to stretch.

I step out into the back porch of the building and lean up against the railing. Gazing at the lowering moon, I take in a deep breath a stretch. _This is a wonderful moonrise_ I tell myself. Hopefully Mira is sleeping well…

The whole forest seems to be asleep. It's mornings like this that make me think of Mira and her singing. Perhaps I'll get her to sing for me again before everyone else gets up, permitting that she's awake by then.

I paced about the yard for a while trying to clear my head, but thoughts of last night were burned into my psyche. Mira is all I can think about. It's a wonderful feeling that spurs inside of me at just the thought of her. It's not a bad thought, spending time like this with her.

After making a deep circle into the snow around the yard, I decided to try and get a quick nap in before everyone woke up. It wouldn't hurt to sleep in for once, right?

I returned to my room and found Mira just to be stirring from her sleep. By now I had dried myself off.

"Where were you?" Mira asked sheepishly, rubbing her eyes with a yawn.

I smiled to her as I leapt onto the bed. _This thing is too big for me. Even when sharing, it's still too big._ I complained to myself

"I went outside for a stretch and some fresh air." I replied, snuggling into Mira. She pets my head with a smile and pulls me under the sheets.

"What's that on your wrist? It's still blinking." Mira inquired and pointed to the comms.

"It's the comms bracelet to my ship. I use to go back and forth to the ship, and use it to record logs into…"

"Ooh, you're recording now? ~ Hi everyone! I hope you don't mind if I steal Nezun for a while longer…"

*end log*


	11. Not Too Late To Post

Location: Temp. Base – Master Bedroom: Unknown Planet Surface  
Ship Time: 19:20  
Log Entry #11: Nezun Skyfire

A few days have passed since Mira and I shared a bed together. Mira had never been happier since I've met her months ago in the mines. It was almost like yesterday we were toiling away in that damnable place.

Mira was forced to work all alone as the other miners seemed to avoid her. Why, I didn't know; and still don't. The Glitch didn't bother her much either; for better or for worse. This added to her seclusion, and I think it really took a toll on her.

I approached shortly after observing the situation of the mines and offered to help her. She had been reluctant of my help at first, but when I showed that I was genuinely offering help she nearly broke down into tears. She was no longer alone.

We were locked in different blocks, but we always met when it was time for work, she seemed to really enjoy my company. I told her about my life; about my younger, crazy years, my calmer, stable years, and finally about how I wound up in this situation.

It was then, several miners had grown curious as to why I was sticking around Mira and overheard the situation. They had been really taken in about some of my feats. Others began to come around, if not a little hesitant. We all began to swap stories during breaks; all except Mira.

To be honest, the living situation wasn't _that_ bad; at least to my standards, outside of the forced labour and lack of meat. We had our meals daily cooked, and we had access to cleaning rooms to wash ourselves at the end of the day.

It was when one of the Glitch caused an "accident" and a few people died in a tunnel collapse that pushed me over the edge for a revolt and staged the coup.

Everything else is recorded history.

So, the purpose of this recording had been to clarify the event that occurred during my captivity. And to talk about Mira.

I thought I heard someone knocking at the door, and it sounded rather urgent. I wonder what happened…

*end log*


	12. All That Glitters Isn't Gold

Location: Temp. Base – Master Bedroom: Unknown Planet Surface  
Ship Time: 19:41—Currently Recording  
Log Entry #12: Nezun Skyfire

Knocking on the door becomes louder.

"Nezun! We've got a problem! Dar'keth is losing it!" A male voice echoes through the door.

"H-hold on! I'll be down in a moment!"

Sounds of ruffling and a large sigh escapes Nezun's lips. A door slams and the sound of small hurried feet scuffle across the threshold of old creaking lumber.

"There you are!" Dar'keth yells from across the main hall.

"Calm yourself, Dar'keth!" Nezun barks back, the sound of murmurs from others are heard.

"To hell with being calm! Here I am trying to help keep everyone alive and in-line, and here you are resssting away inside, whoring yourssself! I can't believe people call you a leader!" Dar'keth barks back. The sound of a fist slams against a table, a glass falling over and smashing is heard shortly after.

Several moments of silence pass. Nezun's breath trembles as what seems to be her nearly hyperventilating

"WELL!? What do you have to sssay for yourssself, _leader_!?"

"Shut-up Char… Mira has nothing to do with this…" Nezun replies quietly.

"Who the hell is Char? Sssome dead lover? You're a _bigger_ whore than I thought!"

The sound of people scattering rings throughout the room. A door swings open a stampede of feet pounding against the floor is heard.

The sound of quick, heavy steps echoes. The comms mic is distorted with the sound of rushing wind followed by the sound of glass shattering, and then snow crunching. Someone is gaging while gasping for air. The thuds of bone hitting bone play over the sound of wind.

"Hee… hehe.. haha..AAAHHHHAHA!" Nezun's voice cackles out violently as the sound of bone on bone repeats.

Nezun's voice pants heavily, the sound of people gathering is heard as a gentle thud crunches with snow.

"Ne-nezun?" A softer female voice speaks out over the murmurs of people and wind.

A few more moments of silence pass.

"M-mira…?"

The sound of light scuffling is heard and another rush of wind over takes the comms' mic.

*end log*


	13. Don't Say You're Sorry

Location: Forest  
Ship Time: 01:48 Currently recording  
Log Entry #13: Nezun

"It's colder out here than I thought it would be. I can't seem to get this…blood off my paws. Heh… I really messed up. To make matters worse, I ran. I ran away.

To think that would happen. I… I even called Dar'keth Char. I… I don't know what to do.

I'm scared. I feel so alone right now. I can't even trust myself right now.

WHY!? Why did I do that? I... I lost my temper. I thought. I thought that I could control it. I… I miss them. Dom. Char. Cora. I miss my family. My mind is a mess."

*sniffles are heard*

"I miss Mira. I can't go back to face her. Not like this… this emotional wreck. I… I need some time to clear my head.

What I did. Was it right? To lash out at Dar'keth like that… did I kill him? That scene plays over and over in my head. Rushing across the main hall, slamming that Floran through the window. Choking him. Hitting him. Laughing.

Those words he yelled, " _your dead lover."_. Something about it… why did I believe them? I know they're alive. I believe it so. I…"

*A heavy sigh followed by a weak laugh echoes. Snow crunches*

"I can't stop shaking. The thought of my fist pounding into his face… this is feeling. This wonderful, disgusting feeling. I… I liked it. I felt so alive. Like it's something that's right, but I know it's not. I haven't changed at all. I really am still ugly on the inside.

All these years of pent up anger. All these years of pent up desire, the urge to hurt. To hunt. I feel like it all exploded in that one moment as he brought in those who I care about. It was such a satisfying feeling and release to do what I did. Like a weight had been lifted.

*A gentle breeze overtakes the mic in the silence*

This comms is all I have left as of now. I… don't want to go back. But I must. I need to make right all the wrongs I've done. Even if it means being banished by everyone… it'll be better to know that I did what I could to apologize and fix the damage that's been dealt."

*Another deep sigh is heard. A few moments of silence pass by again*

"W-what's that? Did someone… Who's there! Come out now!"

*Snow crunches and a few branches break*

"N-nezun? Where are you?"

" _It… it's Mira. Of all the people… why did she follow me…"_

"Nezun! There you are! Are… are you okay?" Mira asks hesitantly.

*The sound of footsteps in the snow can be heard slowly approaching*

"Y-yeah… I guess." Nezun replies, her voice giving no honesty.

*The footsteps stop*

"Why did you follow me?" Nezun's voice crackles.

*A sudden rush of footsteps and then scuffling*

"H-hey!" Nezun eeps in shock.

"Shh… It's okay. I'm here for you."

*A few small sniffles can be heard*

"M-mira… I. I'm sorry."

*Nezun begins to cry. Several minutes pass as the sound Mira comforts Nezun rings*

"T-thank-you, Mira. Really." Nezun finally breaks the silence after she calms down.

"It's okay… I was worried about you when you ran off alone. The others as well. They all agreed that Dar'keth went too far and locked him inside a cell. He's been given treatment. But it'll be awhile before he can see again…"

"Did he do anything to you?" Nezun asks softly, a hint of spite is picked up.

"N-no… he said a lot of things to me. We argued, things got out of hand. He started yelling and was about to take a swing at me… until you came down over the stairs."

"O-oh? I really did overreact… I doubt he'll forgive me, but I certainly won't forgive him too soon. _Lucky bastard lives for another day…"_

*Mira giggles softly, a small smooch is heard*

"Let's head back to the camp, it's really late _and it's chilly out here_. You can tell me what's on your mind on the way back. Everyone's wait... are you recoding this?"

"W-what? Oh… yeah. I'll have to delete this later… I don't want everyone to hear me crying like that…"

*A small scuffle is heard and the sound of something be ruffled.

"Don't be silly. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Maybe… you're right. I'll keep it."

*The sound of snow crunches under the weight of the two as they start heading back. Wolves howl and a breeze gusts every so often. Nezun begins to tell everything to Mira. All of her fears. All of her urges. And most importantly, all of her feelings for Mira*

*Mira giggles softly when Nezun finishes*

"W-what? Did I say something stupid?" Nezun asks in a confused manner.

"No, silly. I'm just glad."

"Glad?"

"Yeah. Glad that you're more relatable than I thought. I had you put up on a pedestal; someone who's unwavering. A fearless, flawless leader capable of doing anything."

"H-hey. Are you… are you blushing?" Mira asks in a teasing tone.

"N-no! Don't be silly" Nezun replies shyly.

"But, I really am glad. You're someone who I really can relate to; you're flawed, just like the others. Just like me. But after all that you've told me, you're wrong about one thing. You do have family. Here, with the others. And you have me…"

*Everything falls silent expect the music of nature and footsteps*

"Yeah… I do. I have everyone else."

"Mmhm! Once we fix up your ship, we can search for your family. I'm sure the some of others wouldn't mind helping. If not, you still have me and Sarah to come along…"

"T-true. Maybe I'll ask the others at a later date. I should let things calm down first. I caused a pretty big incident."

"Mmmh, that you did. I'm sure anyone else would have done the same if they had their loved ones talked like that."

"All except… that last part…"

"Oh stop it! You're ruining the good mood I was making!"

*A small thud is heard along with both women giggling*

"Ouch… I'm sorry."

"And stop apologizing so much. You're too apologetic."

"Yeah… I'm sor.."

"Nope!"

*thud*

*Both fall silent for the remainder of the walk back*

*end of log*


	14. Posh Is His Name

Location: Campsite – Unknown Plant Surface  
Ship Time: 10:11 – Currently Recording  
Log Entry 14: Nezun Skyfire

"Sssee? That didn't go bad, did it?" Mira ques in to break the silence, a glass clinks against a table.

"I'm surprised. A lot of the colonists seemed to be really calm about what happened…" Nezun replies honestly.

"We're all coming from more… unfavorable conditionsss..."

"You're still using the lisp?"

"Oh… sorry. I guess everyone knows now, huh?"

"If they've forgiven me for nearly beating someone to death and breaking a fair bit of property, I'm sure they won't really mind about something so simple…"

*thud*

"H-hey!"

"I told you before, it's not as simple as you think. Others have shunned me for that, remember?"

"Sor- hey! Don't hit me again, I didn't finish it!"

*Mira giggles as the sound of a glass clicking against wood resounded one more*

"…so how is Dar'keth?"

*A new voice is heard*

"He's doing well, all things considered. For someone who looked like they were out for blood—which you got—you certainly held back…"

*One can hear the sound of footsteps approaching while the sound of a chair scraps across the floor*

"Whether it was a conscious decision is to be decided."

"Well hello there…" began Mira.

"The name's Nicholas. Nicholas Navkire the Third, Duke of the Navkire Colony on Miknar Nest, Viscount of the 2nd Torcularis Cluster, and High General of Saiph Prime III.'

"That's quite the posh title…" Muttered Nezun.

"Be nice Nezzy…" Spouted Mira. "It's nice to meet someone of… higher standings."

"Oh, I don't mind it. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintances ladies. I must say, it's odd to find a Floran without the lisp, but it's welcoming none-the-less."

"See, it's not as…

*thud*

"Ow!"

*Nicholas chuckles elegantly*

"How can we help you, Nicholas?" Mira changes the subject.

*Nicholas clears his throat*

"I know that you two are the ones in charge here, the whole liberation thing was rather dashing I must say. I'll be frank. I want off this planet. It's not that I don't like it here… it's just that I'm needed… elsewhere."

"Needed elsewhere? I'm certain that others are needed elsewhere too…" Nezun began.

"But we need people… remember what we discussed?" Mira reminded.

*A few moments of silence pass*

"Okay. Once we get everything situated, you can come along. Are you good for anything?" Questioned Nezun.

"Well, besides being the dashing gentleman I am, I fancy myself fairly well with a blade."

*Nezun snorts and another thud is heard*

"Well that's…umm… good to know." Mira noted. "Can't go wrong with a good arm."

"You're wiser than most others, Miss…" Nicholas paused.

"Mira. Mira Kil'toh. Mira is just fine. I'm sure you know who my partner is."

"Of course! You'd be mad to not our loving savior, Nezun!"

*Nezun snorts again*

"I don't think I'm deserving of the title. Everyone fought for their freedom. I just pushed them in the right direction."

"Aah, manipulation. Got'cha. I think we'll get along just fine!"

"I'm going to get some more water. Would you like some more hot chocolate, Mira?" Nezun asks, ignoring Nicholas' statement.

"O-oh. No. I'm fine thank-you, Nezzy." Mira replies.

*The wooden chair reverberated against the hardwood floor*

"Excuse me then."

*The voices of Mira and Nicholas fade into the rumblings of other background voices*

*The sound of a liquid sloshing against glass is audible*

"I don't trust him…" Nezun mutters to herself.

*Footsteps are lightly heard*

"Oh, where did that fellow, Nicholas, disappear to?" Nezun sounds a little confused.

"I… don't know." Mira replies, sounding just as confused. "I turned away for a few moments to answer one of the settlers and he just… vanished without a trace."

"Huh… well, at least I'm just not losing it and thought this was just my imagination."

"I was thinking the same…"

"Well, that's something at least…*

*A few gulps are heard*

"I guess I should go and see Dar'keth. As much as I don't want to…" Nezun trails off.

"It'll be best to get the encounter done and over with, that way we can move on from this event." Mira replies sternly.

*Nezun giggles*

"What's so funny?" Mira asks confusingly.

"Nothing… I just think that these past few months you've changed from when we first met."

"H-how so?"

"You were timid and didn't speak up much, only answering what was needed. And now here you are, being so stern with me."

"Well, someone needs to keep you in place."

*A few colonists laugh in the background who overheard the exchange. One of them mention that the two were getting along like an old married couple*

"W-well…"

"Y-yeah…"

*Both fall silent and the background voices take over*

*end log*


	15. Once Bitten

Location: Underground Living Quarters Stairwell (Previously known as the Old Holding Cell Area) – Unknown Planet Surface  
Ship Time: 13:21 – Currently Recording  
Log Entry 15: Nezun Skyfire

*The sounds of footsteps tap lightly against stone; the sounds echo down the stairwell*

"This almost feels like we're getting off from work, I hate these spiral stairs. And it's too dull in here…" Mira mumbles.

"The atmosphere is rather intense." A female voice chimes in, "You could cut the tension with a knife."

*Hurried footsteps approach, but with the echo it's hard to distinguish the direction, most likely from the bottom*

"Oh, Sarah! How's Dar'keth holding up?" Mira chimes in.

*A few moments of silence pass*

"He's… okay. All things considered. You did a good job in roughing him up, Cap'n."

"He had it coming." Nezun snuffed. "Although, I didn't do too good of a job…"

*Nezun trails off, a thud followed by an 'ow' from her echoes through the stairwell*

*Sarah giggles softly*

"Dar'keth is being held in Block 3, Cell 4. The survivors have made the best of the living space, but kept a few cells in Block 3 as holding areas in case something like this would happen."

"Oh really?" Nezun asks with a fair amount of interest. "Who came up with that idea?"

"Some fellow named Nicholas. Hard to forget his name, that title he's throwing around makes him stand out like a sore thumb. Bloody genius though. I almost think the guy had it all planned out."

"Bah! I say it's a mere coincidence." Nezun replies sourly. "Although I will admit the guy did seem rather sharp. Even more so if you praise him that highly, Sarah."

"Glad you think so too, kind Saviour!" Chimes in Nicholas, his voice coming from behind the group.

"Where'd you come from?!" Exclaimed Mira.

*Nicholas chuckles*

"A dashing young man like myself is always around when there's interesting events about to unfold. One could say I've got a… bit of a knack for finding information one would say."

"So, basically you've been tailing us and eavesdropping?" Sarah asks with an inquisitive tone.

"My, my, my, that's quite a rude way to put it young lady…" Nicholas retorts.

*Nezun snickers at Nicholas*

"Why are you here?" Nezun butts in before Sarah gets a chance to argue.

"Why? As a fellow member of our little group I would take part in the supposed interrogation you're about to employ on the Floran."

"Still as straight laced and… _dashing_ as our earlier encounter I see." Nezun retorts back.

"But of course! But alas, nothing will be done by standing around here. Shall we make our way onward then?"

"Lead the way, _Duke_." Nezun replies.

*The group of footsteps echo throughout the stairwell. The footsteps break out in a lighter tone, lightly covered by background chatter*

"This holding area certainly is big. I still can't get over its size…" Mira lets loose a whistle, causing it echo about.

*Silence in the group returns as they stop walking*

"Well, well. Look whosss here. Back to finisssh the job?" Dar'keth hisses with poisonous tine.

"As much as I want to, you're worth too much." Nezun admits firmly.

"Ha! Isss that right now? Ssso what bringsss you here then? Trying to clear your conssscience?"

"Pretty much. We need you. You're a damn good fighter. A bit headstrong though."

"The pot calling the kittle black, are we?" Dar'keth jabs at Nezun.

"Yeah, yeah. Look, I'm sorry. I'm not apologizing for beating you—you had that coming, mind you—but for being a bad leader."

"Heh, you throw one hellva tantrum when provoked. You remind me of myssself. You've got one hellva right hook too," Dar'keth admits. "I'll accept your apology… if you beg for forgivenesss."

"W-why you little…" Mira begins, but is interrupted. "N-nezun?"

"I'm sorry for failing as a leader, and as your Captain, Dar'keth. Will you forgive me?"

"Haa… you're pretty good at groveling, Captain." Dar'keth spits, a soft splat resounds off the wall. "Fine. If you let me out of thisss damnable cell, I'll put thisss behind me. But know this. If you fail again, I'm not going to use words next time."

*The sound of Nezun brushing herself off is heard*

"Ha! I really do like your spunk. Fine, it's a deal. But the same rules apply to you, bad mouth about my past—it's where it should stay—or Mira, and I'll make sure you don't walk again." Nezun replies with an arrogant tone.

*Hands clasp as both Nezun and Dar'keth let out a 'heh'*

*The jail cell door swings open with a haunting creak and a thunderous clank*

"Well, that wasn't so bad, Cap'n." Sarah butts in, "I think we should go get some food. I'm starved after looking out for Dar'keth here. Poor sod could use some food as well, I'd imagine." Sarah pauses for a moment. "Where'd Nicholas go?"

*The group murmurs for a moment*

"Anyways," Sarah continues. "Poor ol Dar'keth here was grinnin' like a fool when he gained consciousness, Cap'n."

"Ooh?" Nezun sounds interested again. "And why's that, Dar'keth?"

"Nothing that concernsss you, ' _Nezzy_ '." Dar'keth bites back.

"I bet it's 'cause you whooped his ass. He _IS_ one of those warrior types like you, after all."

"S-Ssshut your mouth, Sssarah!" Dar'keth clamours, clearly flustered.

*The group bursts into laughter, workers come over to investigate the commotion and to see why Dar'keth was out of the cell. An argument breaks out between Dar'keth and Sarah as the sound of marching footsteps echo once more*

"Oh! You're still recording, Nezzy!" Mira points out.

"Oh yeah… I kind of got caught up in the conversation…"

*end log*


End file.
